The Blue Thread
by Neonnn
Summary: Mabel has given Dipper a knitted blue scarf just like the two are knitted together. Now Dipper is gone. Accidents Happen. Necks break. Hearts crumble like the eroding ground. People search until they find what they were hoping to not.


It was a cold day early in the month of August. It was very unusual, since the previous month was filled with blazing heat waves. Although everyone was thankful for the relaxing break from the stroking sun, some weren't ready for it. I remember this day so well, even though I would rather not. "Mabel," Dipper called, as he slipped on his shoes. "Have you seen my jacket?"

I slipped over a purple sweater I had knit myself. "It's still in your suitcase. See? I told you it was a good idea to pack it!"

"Yea, yea." Dipper smiled and pulled a dark brown suitcase from under his bed. He unclicked the lock and pulled out a navy hooded coat. Upon slipping it on, he frowned disappointedly. "Ugh. I'm still cold."

"You wait about that!" I said quickly. "Just go downstairs."

Dipper shrugged and left our bedroom. I heard his tired footsteps clomp down the stairs. At that moment I raced for something under my bed. I pulled out a nearly completed blue scarf. Still attached were knitting needles. I raced to work on it, until I was satisfied with the length. Then I went after my brother.

"Dipper!" I called out with a huge metallic smile. "This is for you!" My brother looked up from his bowl of cereal. His eyes widened at the sight; I held up the bright blue scarf I had knitted for him.

"You made that for me?" He smiled. I ran over and swung it around his neck. "Thanks." he said happily. He adjusted it then sat up. "I'm actually going exploring today. I have a new lead on who the author could be!" He pulled out the old, tattered journal and opened to a specific page, excitedly turning it towards me so I could see the scribblings across the paper. I didn't understand most of it, but I nodded respectfully.

"That's great!"

He headed to the door and opened it. But before he left, he turned around. He waved. I waved back, and I regret how simple my goodbye was.

-

"According to this, following a path through these two twisted trees will lead me to a special carving on a tree. Dipper held Journal 3 up to the scenery. Drawn on the dirty page with an old charcoal pencil, was a sketch of two trees that bent in odd ways and tilted toward each other as to make a canopy-style path entrance. Dipper held the journal lower, as to see a similar view in front of him. There in front of him were those two trees. "This is it." He said matter of factly. A chilly breeze blew through the thick woods where Dipper was. He tightened his new thick-knitted scarf.

Dipper headed down the path cautiously, yet ignoring the warning signs that were scattered along the sides of the path. "Do not go any further" "Natural dangers." At one point in the path, a fence had been built blocking any further trespassing. The wood of the fence was dark and rotted. Moss grew on it and it was short enough for the twelve-year-old to simply step over. "I have to find that carved tree." Dipper pushed himself. He frowned as the path started becoming more treacherous and steep.

Then, as the path shrank to no more than two and a half feet, Dipper realize a cliff was to the right of him. It was not fatally tall, but certainly dangerous to cause severe harm. Dipper swallowed hard. "I've gone too far to go back." To pass time and keep his mind of the devastating drop to the right, he read his journal. Then, he noticed a code on the Bill Cipher page he had not tried to decipher. He gasped. But with the tensing of his muscles at the discovery, and the fragileness of the piece of paper, the page tore and blew off in the freezing wind. Dipper cried out into the empty air and leaped up to the right in a desperate attempt to reach the paper. The ground beneath him cracked.

Like the flaking crust of a pie, the ground beneath Dipper's feat crumbled into clods of dirt.

Dipper heard nothing but the pounding of his heart.

Slow motion.

Everything froze.

His body fell over the side of the cliff. Then,

His scarf caught on the edge.

A tree branch had jagged itself out over the cliff edge.

His scarf, caught on the edge, stretched and tightened itself around the neck of Dipper Pines.

He was hanged.

The cold wind blew through the forest one last time.

Dipper's hat fellow off his lifeless body, and landed on the forest floor.

-

"Grunkle Stan...I'm so worried." I felt tears form in my eyes and I grabbed on to the suitcoat shirt of my great uncle.

"Mabel, It'll be all right!" Stan tried to lighten up my spirits. It was rather difficult concerning the fact we were just two in a large search party looking for my twin brother. The sun was about to set. The sky was a pale pink color; it was beautiful and calm. But it had been over twelve hours since anyone had seen Dipper. I tried to use optimism to fix myself into believing Dipper would be fine. But I was scared nonetheless, and the faces of the people in the search party looked hopeless and pale.

"Alright!" Someone with a loud, deep voice called out from the front of the crowd. "We'll pick this up tomorrow. Meet up at the Mystery Shack at 6:00 am sharp." Everyone walked back slowly, still looking around for a sign. Wendy and Soos were next to me. And for once, the three of us were silent.

-

"Grunkle Stan." I knocked on Stan's bedroom door. It must have been 10:00, and I expected him to be asleep and unresponsive. But within a moment, Grunkle Stan had opened the door and I was led inside. His room was messy and looked like it belonged to a 1980s summer camp. Then he sat me on the bed.

"We need to talk." His grunge-style voice spoke to me unusually softly. The words make my stomach knot. "There is no guarantee Dipper will be okay. No amount of hope and prayer can change anything that's already happened. But Dipper is strong and I believe in him. Kid, I know how much you love your brother. And I love him too." I could see a concerned look in Stan's expression. "I have all my belief that he is okay though, and you should too. Do not get your hopes down." His rough large hand was gently put on my shoulder. "Please, Mabel. Get some sleep. We will be able to find your brother more easily if you are alert and awake." I nodded and stood up.

"Have you called mom and dad yet?" I asked, beginning to wonder how my parents would react to the happenings.

"No. If we haven't found him by noon tomorrow I will call 'em."

I nodded slowly, and with a frown, headed back to my own room. I fell asleep looking across at Dipper's empty bed.

-

The next day was colder than the one before. I put on a thick wool pink sweater, and pulled up my socks up above my knees. It was bright out by the time the group set out again. We walked around for some time, calling out Dipper's name. I found myself wandering down a long path where a short cliff daggered up from the left. Then, I saw something in a tree. It was a small, torn piece of paper. I ran and managed to pull it down, and carefully held it as to not let the wind blow it away. "Trust no one" It said in bold letters. I gasped loudly. "This is from Dipper's book!" I yelled his name. "DIPPER PINES!" I ran down the path and looked around. Then I looked up.

Then I saw.

I couldn't breathe. I felt my heart pound in my chest heavier than the tears that formed in my eyes. I screamed, louder than I knew I was capable of. I began to weep.

I couldn't look away.

Dipper was hanging by the neck from a branch on the edge of the cliff.

By the blue scarf I had knitted him.

His body was grey and limp and lifeless.

I was screaming with my tears. Then, footsteps rushed behind me; then the coarse, large hand of Grunkle Stan was over my eyes. I heard nearby people solemnly sigh. They murmured and I heard some other crying beings.

"Sh Sh." Grunkle Stan said softly. He was shivering. People at that point were at the upper path of the cliff retrieving Dipper's body.

Everyone then walked back to the Mystery Shack. It was a long hike back through the woods, the beautiful trees looking dark and lifeless as my dead brother in the arms of Stan. Wendy was holding my hand. She wouldn't look up from the muddy, cold ground.

We never did find Dipper's hat.

-

The next day, as I waited for my parents to arrive, I took a walk to the place Dipper was hung by the blue knit scarf. It felt as if it took hours to get there, but when I did everything seemed still and timeless.

I looked at the branch that stuck out of the side of the cliff.

Knotted around the end, blowing in the wind, still there for eternity, was a piece of blue string.


End file.
